The detergent industry is currently quite interested in concentrated detergent products. These products provide advantages to the consumer, who has a product which can be more easily used and in lower amounts. The products also provide advantages to the manufacturer and distributor, who have lower transportation and warehousing costs. Preparation of concentrated built laundry liquids containing high levels of surfactant and builder has been, however, difficult due to the limited solubility of surfactants and most builders in water.
It has been found that the use of C.sub.11 alcohol ethoxylate compounds allows higher levels of both surfactant and builder to be incorporated into both built and unbuilt laundry liquids than is possible with laundry liquids containing alcohol ethoxylate compounds having different carbon numbers. It has further been found that the concentrations of both surfactant and builder can be increased without adversely affecting the clarity or the flowability of the laundry liquids.